Ayame's hand instinctively tightened, ready to activate her Tag Authority, as she scanned the surroundings. Everything appeared normal, yet the air felt heavy, charged with a strange energy that hadn't been there before.
"Weiss," Ayame called out, her voice carrying an edge of concern.
Weiss, who had been quietly observing the team with a thoughtful expression, looked up at her. There was a knowing glint in his eyes, and a slight smile played at the corners of his mouth. He could sense what was happening, even if the others couldn't.
Weiss's thoughts drifted to what he had suspected would come next. 'It seems the game is about to enter the late-game phase,' he mused to himself, his smile widening just a fraction.
The calm before the storm was about to break, and he knew the true challenges were only beginning.
As if on cue, the first signs of change began to manifest.